Definition

1. Verb (intransitive):

   • To make a series of short, sharp, popping, or spitting sounds, often due to irregular or failing operation.
   • To speak or utter words in a rapid, confused, and explosive manner, especially when angry or excited.
   • To spit or throw out small particles (like liquid, sparks, or food) in an explosive manner.

2. Verb (transitive):

   • To utter or say something with a spitting sound or in a rapid, explosive manner.
   • In physics, to cause (atoms) to be removed from a solid surface by bombardment with energetic particles.

3. Noun:

   • The act or sound of sputtering.
   • A rapid, explosive, and often incoherent utterance.

Usage Examples

• Verb (intransitive):
  • The old car's engine began to sputter and then died.
  • He was so angry he could only sputter in protest.
  • The bacon sputtered in the hot pan.
• Verb (transitive):
  • She sputtered an apology, her face turning red.
  • The ion beam is used to sputter material from the target onto the substrate.
• Noun:
  • The only response was a sputter of indignation.
  • We heard the sputter of a motorcycle outside.

Advanced Usage

• "Sputter out": To gradually fail or come to an end in a weak, irregular, or intermittent way.
  • The conversation sputtered out into an awkward silence.
  • The rebellion sputtered out after its leader was captured.

Variants and Related Words

• Splutter: Often used interchangeably with , especially regarding speech or the emission of particles. It can emphasize confusion or wetness in speech.
  • He spluttered as the water went down the wrong pipe.
• Sputtering (adj/n): The process or characteristic of making a sputtering sound.
  • A sputtering candle. The sputtering of the radio signal.

Synonyms

• For sound/operation: Splutter, spatter, crackle, pop, misfire.
• For speech: Stammer, stutter, bluster, jabber.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Sputter out: See "Advanced Usage" above.

Related Idioms

• To be in a sputter: To be in a state of agitated, incoherent excitement or anger.
  • The news left the whole office in a sputter.

Noun

1. an utterance (of words) with spitting sounds (as in rage)
2. the noise of something spattering or sputtering explosively
   • he heard a spatter of gunfire

Verb

1. spit up in an explosive manner
2. utter with a spitting sound, as if in a rage
3. climb awkwardly, as if by scrambling
4. cause to undergo a process in which atoms are removed
   • The solar wind protons must sputter away the surface atoms of the dust
5. make an explosive sound
   • sputtering engines